The Pleasures of a Country Dinner

So my friend Felicity Crush, an artist and graphic designer who has the very good fortune to reside in Stinson Beach, invited me to a supper club with a country spin last Saturday.

It was held in neighboring Bolinas, a lovely rural enclave in West Marin best known for trying to keep its location secret, in a recently refurbished barn behind the 24-hour Farm Stand on Gospel Flat Farm run by farmer-artist-educator Mickey Murch. On Saturday, the vibe was country chic with a suitably Boho twist for the area known to locals as Bobo. Think extremely local, sustainable, seasonal eats.

The rustic meal was cooked in Murch’s mobile boat-turned-kitchen, a piece of art in its own right. Diners noshed on Tomales Bay mussels, Star Route greens, and a cassoulet studded with white beans.

Art work with an Impressionistic feel made from found objects on local beaches adorned the walls. Overhead, hand-crafted metalic lamps. Two simple wooden tables festooned with flowers filled the space. On tap: A smooth red courtesy of a resident winemaker. Fiddle music filled the room, conversation flowed, a good time ensued.

I’d wager the world would be a better place if we sat around a communal table more often and shared a simple meal with strangers surrounded by art and music.

Great photos to really capture the feeling of a warm, welcoming night with friends. Love these kind of get-togethers! My group of gals tries to do them once a month (on a lesser scale) and it really gives us something to look forward to.Casey@Good. Food. Stories.´s last [type] ..CC’s Modern Stone-Age Attempts at Paleo Baking

I love everything about this idea. I live in a farming community, and I’ve always thought some ambitious farmer could create a nice side business hosting fundraisers and gatherings in their barn (if the local zoning board went for it, that is).Jane Boursaw´s last [type] ..I Am Number Four- Going for the Smallville Crowd